The present invention relates to an appliance for removing ash from fireplaces, furnaces, and the like to an intermediate receptacle and for convenient removal from the intermediate receptacle for disposal.
There are several prior art patents of interest in the matter of ash removers. U.S. Pat. No. 1,355,508 to A. E. Roever is directed to a vacuum ash sifter in which an ordinary vacuum cleaner draws ash from a fireplace into an intermediate metal box which is under partial vacuum during operation and which provides temporary storage of the ash removed from the fireplace. After clearing the ash from the fireplace the intermediate metal box is opened at its bottom with the contents dumped into an ash can for disposal.
United Kingdom Patent No. 421,664 to Clarkson et al, is directed to an appliance for attachment to electric vacuum cleaners for removing ash, soot and dirt from fireplaces, stoves, ranges, and domestic boilers. In this patent specification Clarkson et al disclose an appliance in which the vacuum cleaner operating through suitable tubing draws soot and ash from the fireplace into a receptacle within an intermediate container. After the soot and ash are collected the receptacle is then removed from the intermediate container by an operator and dumped into a dust bin.
United Kingdom Patent No. 653,033 specification is also directed to a vacuum cleaning apparatus for removing ashes from a fireplace. The apparatus includes a container and an interior sheet metal basket with a coarse wire mesh bottom for retaining cinders and passing fine clinker into the lowest part of the container. The interior basket is removable for using the clinker for fire lighting. The fine clinker passing into the container is removed to an ash can.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,947 is directed to a dust collector utilizing a vacuum cleaner and having an intermediate receptacle, or bucket, and a specially designed scoop for removal into the bucket and ultimate disposal by dumping out the bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,674 is directed to a stove and fireplace cleaning method and apparatus and, in particular, a specialized nozzle and furnace inlet for removing ash by means of a vacuum collector. In this case, the ash enters the vacuum collector as there is no intermediate receptacle as in the case of the foregoing patent documents. In the case of the '674 patent, it becomes necessary to dump the ash for final disposal.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,608 is directed to an apparatus for removal of ash from fireplaces and the like by means of a vacuum cleaner and an intermediate container. The '608 patent is directed to the particular geometric configuration of the inlet and outlet opening to the intermediate container located in the lid of the container.
The foregoing group of prior art patents provide for ash removal from a fireplace to an intermediate container largely for the purpose of minimizing the rising of soot and ash and its subsequent settling over the room near the fireplace. The '664 U. K. specification particularly refers to the need arising when ash removal is done by hand use of brush and shovel emptying it into a dust pail and by removal and emptying same into a dust bin. It will be seen, therefore, that each of the prior art patents discussed above provides for removal of ash from a fireplace minimizing the settling of dust and ash in the room, however, the operator is nonetheless left with the rather messy job of finding a final point of disposal for the soot and ash. Additionally, the intermediate container itself will almost always have a residue of soot and ash and at some point the intermediate container and the various component parts, be it removable buckets or trap doors or asbestos screens, must themselves be cleaned. The situation is all too familiar. Every time one tries to remove the ashes from fireplace, barbeque, or wood stove the job require time and effort, not to mention the mess. Then, when the dust settles, it is still not as clean as it could be.
The prior art does address the matter of providing a screen to prevent hot coals or clinkers entering and harming a vacuum cleaner used as a vacuum source. Generally speaking, these include a single screen member of rather coarse mesh and a fine mesh in the case of the U. K. '033 patent specification. It is to be understood, therefore, that the prior art, although well represented on appliances for vacuum ash sifting, is limited and there is, indeed, room for improvement in this field. All that can change now, with the ash removal system of the present invention. It's fast, easy and affordable. And it does the job in one clean sweep--without the mess.